Inventive laboratory apparatus specifically are laboratory centrifuges, thermomixers, and other sample preparation apparatus. They have control devices which make it possible to set the laboratory apparatus working and stop them working and adjust the operating conditions as required. For example, the control device of a laboratory centrifuge allows for one or more of the functions below: turn the apparatus on and off, open the centrifuge lid, start and stop the centrifugation procedure, adjust the number of revolutions and centrifugation time, select a centrifugation short-time mode, and adjust the centrifugation temperature.
The control device is a keyboard with press keys, for example. It is frequently designed as a touch-sensitive membrane keyboard. Control devices with rotary knobs for adjusting the speed and centrifugation time are also known. Control devices which have a keyboard and rotary knobs are known as well.
Users of laboratory apparatus sometimes prefer control devices which have keys only, specifically control devices with touch-sensitive membrane keyboards. Membrane keyboards are liquid-tight and make it easier to clean the control device. Other users prefer control devices in which at least some of the control elements have rotary knobs. Rotary knobs make it easier to rapidly set an operating parameter within a wide range. Moreover, they are preferred by female persons carrying long fingernails.
Known laboratory apparatus do not come up to the different needs because they are only available with one type of control device each so that they exclusively present push-button switches, exclusively present rotary knobs or have push-button switches in combination with rotary knobs. It would involve too much effort to produce laboratory apparatus of the same type with different control devices in order to allow the user a choice in acquiring a laboratory apparatus. Furthermore, this would not come up to application cases where a laboratory apparatus is shared amongst users who prefer different types of the control device.
Accordingly, it is the object of the invention to provide an easy-to-use laboratory apparatus with an control device.